The heartbreaker
0.0228
points from the title
Came within 0.0228 points of the Grand Championship at Smokin' at the Ball Park BBQ Fest (Jun 20, 2015).
QUE AND A HALF MEN
QUE AND A HALF MEN is a competition barbecue team with 54 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2016. They have won 4 Grand Championships, most recently at the Que by the Sea (2014), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 4 times. They are ranked #399 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1700
peak 1708 · rated over 52 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
54
in the data
First seen
May 3, 2013
latest Oct 8, 2016 · 3.4 years on the trail
Grand champs
4
4 reserve · wins it all 7% of the time
Category wins
10
41 podiums
Overall top-10s
29
54% of 54 contests
Best top-10 run
9
straight overall top-10s · 2 straight GCs
Avg finish
top 26%
overall standings
Best overall
693.1544 / 720
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
656.03 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 659.54 (-3.51)
Walk rate
94%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±12.68
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 165.64 · weakest Brisket (162.99)
Road miles
13,241
across 54 mapped stops · furthest 1,089 mi
Schedule strength
33%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1543)
Master avg
659.54 / 720
54 Master contests · 4 GCs
Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #492 (824 pts) | #348 (1,064 pts) | #468 (869 pts) | #562 (724 pts) | #442 (909 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #181 (1,596 pts) | #179 (1,501 pts) | #96 (1,840 pts) | #122 (1,714 pts) | #222 (1,406 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #88 (2,087 pts) | #156 (1,587 pts) | #98 (1,876 pts) | #36 (2,226 pts) | #162 (1,624 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #39 (2,382 pts) | #47 (2,162 pts) | #78 (1,855 pts) | #89 (1,782 pts) | #27 (2,328 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to QUE AND A HALF MEN, each with one reason worth a look.
#397 of the rated field
- Contests
- 58
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1730
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to QUE AND A HALF MEN)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team QUE AND A HALF MEN has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#395 of the rated field
- Contests
- 73
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 44%
- Peak
- 1734
9–4 in 13 shared contests (69% to QUE AND A HALF MEN)
They've been 1734 at their best, 34 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#401 of the rated field
- Contests
- 37
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 68%
- Peak
- 1711
5–7 in 12 shared contests (42% to QUE AND A HALF MEN)
Fewer contests behind them than QUE AND A HALF MEN has cooked, 37 to 54, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#398 of the rated field
- Contests
- 60
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 28%
- Peak
- 1708
60 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 28% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#400 of the rated field
- Contests
- 48
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1700
They turned up 7 years after QUE AND A HALF MEN did, first appearing in 2020.
⚔ Compare careers#396 of the rated field
- Contests
- 84
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 44%
- Peak
- 1751
Level with QUE AND A HALF MEN on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue Hog BBQ | 38 | 13 | 25 | 34% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 36 | 17 | 19 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| STUBBORN BULL BBQ | 28 | 15 | 13 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| INSANE SWINE BBQ | 27 | 7 | 20 | 26% | ⚔ compare |
| THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | 26 | 13 | 13 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| ACK-QUE | 23 | 17 | 6 | 74% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Aces | 23 | 15 | 8 | 65% | ⚔ compare |
| BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ | 22 | 6 | 16 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| CAN U SMELL MY PITS BBQ | 19 | 9 | 10 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKOPOLIS BBQ | 19 | 9 | 10 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| FIRE DOWN BELOW | 18 | 10 | 8 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| BEERBEQUE | 18 | 8 | 10 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| MEAT @ SLIMS | 18 | 7 | 11 | 39% | ⚔ compare |
| Chicken Chokers | 17 | 11 | 6 | 65% | ⚔ compare |
| Q HAVEN BBQ | 17 | 6 | 11 | 35% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 54 | 26 | 3 | 10 | 176.5600 | 145.1426 | 165.64 | top 35% |
| Pork Ribs | 54 | 28 | 2 | 9 | 177.1544 | 154.2516 | 165.52 | top 31% |
| Pork | 54 | 25 | 1 | 11 | 178.2972 | 151.4284 | 165.39 | top 32% |
| Brisket | 54 | 24 | 4 | 11 | 178.8572 | 143.9656 | 162.99 | top 37% |
“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.
By field size and state
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 0 | top 21% |
| Medium (20–39) | 23 | 2 | top 31% |
| Large (40+) | 28 | 2 | top 22% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Que by the Sea | 4 | 1 | 1 | top 10% | Sep 17, 2016 |
| Red, White and Que | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 14% | Sep 26, 2015 |
| Sun BBQ Fest | 3 | 5 | 0 | top 18% | Jun 11, 2016 |
| Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 13% | Sep 13, 2014 |
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 26% | Aug 14, 2015 |
| Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 49% | Jul 25, 2015 |
| Hudson Valley Ribfest | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 10% | Aug 16, 2014 |
| Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 20% | May 2, 2014 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2014
17 contests · 1 GC
Contests a season
13.5
across 4 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
NJ
11 of 54 contests · 14 states in all
Contests visited
42
8 of them more than once
First title
Jul 13, 2013
Troy Pig Out
Opponents faced
1,609
finished ahead 2,589 times, behind 946
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20164 milestones
- 10th category win Sun BBQ Fest
- 50th tracked contest Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest
- Peak power rating (1708) Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest
- Most recent contest Smoke on the Water Barbecue Championship
20152 milestones
- Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8572 Smokin' at the Ball Park BBQ Fest
- Career-best overall score693.1544 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational
20142 milestones
- 25th tracked contest Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ
- Biggest field won (48 teams) Que by the Sea
20139 milestones
- First tracked contest Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival
- First call Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival
- First category win (Chicken) Rock'n Ribfest NH State BBQ Competition
- First overall top-10 Rock'n Ribfest NH State BBQ Competition
- First overall podium Rock'n Ribfest NH State BBQ Competition
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score668.0002 Rock'n Ribfest NH State BBQ Competition
- First Grand Championship Troy Pig Out
- First Reserve Championship The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ
- 10th tracked contest Hudson Valley Ribfest
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +14.8 | Troy Pig Out | Jul 13, 2013 |
| +13.4 | Rock'n Ribfest NH State BBQ Competition | Jun 14, 2013 |
| +13 | Red, White and Que | Sep 7, 2013 |
| +12.7 | The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ | Jul 26, 2013 |
| +12 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest | Sep 14, 2013 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15.2 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | Sep 4, 2015 |
| -12.7 | Wakefield Rotary Campus Cook Off & State BBQ Championships | Jul 18, 2014 |
| -7.5 | Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ | Jul 25, 2015 |
| -6.5 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival | Jul 23, 2016 |
| -5.9 | Smoke on the Water Barbecue Championship | Oct 8, 2016 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 34% | 92.9% | 91.5% |
| 2015 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 86% | top 31% | 96.3% | 92.3% |
| 2014 | 17 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 100% | top 22% | 93.6% | 91.2% |
| 2013 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 94% | top 21% | 95.3% | 91.5% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2016 | Smoke on the Water Barbecue Championship Atlantic City, NJ | 25 / 48 (654.1944) | 4 (176.5600) | 23 (162.2400) | 30 (159.9772) | 38 (155.4172) |
| Sep 24, 2016 | Red White and Que Cresskill, NJ | 11 / 41 (653.6000) | 13 (166.2628) | 26 (154.2516) | 18 (161.1200) | 2 (171.9656) |
| Sep 17, 2016 | Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ | 11 / 44 (650.2056) | 9 (167.4400) | 4 (171.4516) | 17 (161.6684) | 28 (149.6456) |
| Jul 23, 2016 | The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT | 14 / 26 (663.9200) | 7 (170.8344) | 15 (165.7028) | 7 (170.2628) | 18 (157.1200) |
| Jul 16, 2016 | Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest Old Orchard Beach, ME | 9 / 26 (658.2516) | 12 (162.9028) | 3 (170.8572) | 11 (163.9544) | 15 (160.5372) |
| Jun 11, 2016 | Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT | 10 / 69 (668.5828) | 29 (164.5600) | 47 (158.2856) | 15 (168.5600) | 1 (177.1772) |
| Jun 4, 2016 | Granite State BBQ Championship Hancock, NH | 11 / 32 (663.3028) | 2 (176.5600) | 9 (168.5256) | 20 (162.2400) | 25 (155.9772) |
| Oct 9, 2015 | Smokin Hot Atlantic City BBQ Championship $15,000 Atlantic City, NJ | 12 / 46 (658.2172) | 15 (167.3828) | 4 (169.1544) | 9 (168.5600) | 22 (153.1200) |
| Oct 3, 2015 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 171 / 606 (666.7656) | 192 (167.9656) | 12 (177.1428) | 216 (166.8456) | 432 (154.8116) |
| Oct 2, 2015 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 12 / 187 (693.1544) | 68 (171.9656) | 11 (177.1544) | 4 (178.2972) | 126 (165.7372) |
| Sep 26, 2015 | Red, White and Que Cresskill, NJ | 10 / 35 (643.8856) | 6 (168) | 4 (167.9772) | 8 (163.9428) | 25 (143.9656) |
| Sep 19, 2015 | Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ | 3 / 41 (668.0228) | 7 (168) | 6 (164.5828) | 2 (169.1428) | 6 (166.2972) |
| Sep 4, 2015 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Richmond, VA | 28 / 30 (641.5768) | 25 (164.5484) | 26 (161.1200) | 8 (170.2628) | 29 (145.6456) |
| Aug 14, 2015 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Scarborough, ME | 5 / 26 (670.8000) | 3 (171.4400) | 19 (158.2400) | 4 (168.5372) | 1 (172.5828) |
| Jul 25, 2015 | Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT | 20 / 35 (652.4800) | 24 (163.9656) | 15 (165.7144) | 9 (169.1428) | 29 (153.6572) |
| Jul 17, 2015 | Wakefield Rotary Campus Cook Off Kingston, RI | 14 / 37 (663.3944) | 14 (166.8344) | 3 (173.1544) | 28 (155.9884) | 16 (167.4172) |
| Jun 27, 2015 | Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park Allentown, PA | 6 / 17 (661.6344) | 3 (173.1200) | 4 (168.5828) | 13 (160.5372) | 12 (159.3944) |
| Jun 20, 2015 | Smokin' at the Ball Park BBQ Fest Old Orchard Beach, ME | 2 / 18 (687.4056) | 4 (170.8456) | 7 (162.8572) | 4 (174.8456) | 2 (178.8572) |
| Jun 13, 2015 | Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT | 12 / 52 (667.2912) | 15 (170.8112) | 3 (173.1428) | 16 (167.9656) | 36 (155.3716) |
| May 29, 2015 | Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH | 21 / 49 (652.4456) | 25 (163.3828) | 21 (163.4172) | 26 (163.3828) | 22 (162.2628) |
| May 2, 2015 | Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT | 7 / 30 (672.5828) | 11 (167.4056) | 5 (168) | 8 (168.0228) | 3 (169.1544) |
| Oct 24, 2014 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 32 / 92 (671.3372) | 81 (157.6916) | 7 (176) | 38 (167.9772) | 39 (169.6684) |
| Oct 3, 2014 | DO AC Smokin' Hot Atlantic City BBQ Championship Atlantic City, NJ | 22 / 65 (643.8968) | 8 (166.8112) | 34 (155.4400) | 5 (170.2628) | 35 (151.3828) |
| Sep 26, 2014 | Lehigh Valley QueFest Allentown, PA | 10 / 32 (643.8400) | 15 (161.0856) | 11 (161.7144) | 3 (167.9656) | 17 (153.0744) |
| Sep 20, 2014 | Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ | 1 / 48 (667.9200) | 7 (166.8344) | 13 (160.5372) | 2 (173.1428) | 4 (167.4056) |
| Sep 13, 2014 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest Harvard, MA | 10 / 43 (652.4684) | 26 (156.5372) | 2 (171.4400) | 15 (163.4056) | 16 (161.0856) |
| Sep 6, 2014 | Red, White and Que Cresskill, NJ | 3 / 31 (653.0740) | 1 (172) | 11 (158.8228) | 2 (169.7372) | 18 (152.5140) |
| Aug 16, 2014 | Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY | 4 / 60 (655.9544) | 48 (149.6800) | 1 (176) | 7 (166.3088) | 9 (163.9656) |
| Aug 8, 2014 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Scarborough, ME | 9 / 28 (650.8000) | 24 (150.8228) | 1 (173.7600) | 18 (157.6800) | 5 (168.5372) |
| Jul 25, 2014 | Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT | 14 / 34 (649.5660) | 5 (167.4288) | 16 (161.0856) | 13 (162.8344) | 21 (158.2172) |
| Jul 18, 2014 | Wakefield Rotary Campus Cook Off & State BBQ Championships Kingston, RI | 24 / 33 (647.4172) | 28 (156.5600) | 21 (159.4172) | 17 (162.2972) | 7 (169.1428) |
| Jun 20, 2014 | Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT | 5 / 32 (665.1316) | 12 (164) | 7 (167.4400) | 3 (171.4400) | 12 (162.2516) |
| Jun 13, 2014 | Rock'n Ribfest NH State BBQ Championship Merrimack, NH | 3 / 28 (673.6684) | 3 (173.1428) | 11 (166.2856) | 9 (166.8456) | 6 (167.3944) |
| May 31, 2014 | Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest Swanzey, NH | 4 / 48 (662.1940) | 25 (163.4284) | 8 (170.2628) | 2 (173.1428) | 25 (155.3600) |
| May 24, 2014 | Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY | 19 / 86 (650.2288) | 31 (163.9656) | 47 (155.3944) | 34 (161.7144) | 10 (169.1544) |
| May 10, 2014 | The Polish Hungry for Que BBQ Bash Gardner, MA | 3 / 17 (657.0740) | 5 (167.4056) | 6 (161.7256) | 4 (165.6800) | 5 (162.2628) |
| May 2, 2014 | Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival Annapolis, MD | 5 / 59 (671.3600) | 25 (159.9312) | 5 (169.1316) | 3 (172.5600) | 7 (169.7372) |
| Apr 11, 2014 | Delaware's Triple Threat BBQ Festival at the Fair Harrington, DE | 12 / 109 (652.5828) | 66 (154.8800) | 4 (172.0228) | 21 (165.1312) | 29 (160.5488) |
| Oct 11, 2013 | Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA | 2 / 21 (668.5488) | 10 (160) | 3 (170.2972) | 1 (172.0116) | 4 (166.2400) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 86 / 174 (662.7084) | 9 (176) | 136 (158.2400) | 126 (161.0856) | 69 (167.3828) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 226 / 535 (643.8852) | 201 (164) | 338 (156.5256) | 244 (161.1312) | 195 (162.2284) |
| Sep 21, 2013 | Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ | 2 / 49 (643.9428) | 1 (174.8572) | 9 (158.2628) | 25 (152.5256) | 13 (158.2972) |
| Sep 14, 2013 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest Harvard, MA | 1 / 42 (686.2628) | 2 (169.1200) | 3 (172.5828) | 2 (172) | 2 (172.5600) |
| Sep 7, 2013 | Red, White and Que Cresskill, NJ | 1 / 26 (672.5488) | 2 (167.4172) | 13 (161.7144) | 2 (170.8344) | 2 (172.5828) |
| Aug 16, 2013 | Hudson Valley Ribfest New Paltz, NY | 7 / 51 (652.5372) | 12 (166.2972) | 20 (162.8800) | 20 (162.2628) | 9 (161.0972) |
| Jul 26, 2013 | The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT | 2 / 31 (674.2628) | 4 (170.2856) | 13 (164.5600) | 12 (164.0116) | 1 (175.4056) |
| Jul 20, 2013 | Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships Kingston, RI | 5 / 46 (662.2856) | 6 (170.8800) | 7 (169.1200) | 22 (161.7256) | 22 (160.5600) |
| Jul 13, 2013 | Troy Pig Out Troy, NY | 1 / 32 (676.6400) | 2 (170.8800) | 5 (164.0228) | 4 (163.9772) | 1 (177.7600) |
| Jun 21, 2013 | Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival Old Orchard Beach, ME | 10 / 28 (661.7142) | 10 (168) | 20 (158.8572) | 2 (174.2856) | 15 (160.5714) |
| Jun 14, 2013 | Rock'n Ribfest NH State BBQ Competition Merrimack, NH | 3 / 35 (668.0002) | 1 (175.4288) | 8 (165.7142) | 28 (154.8572) | 4 (172) |
| Jun 1, 2013 | Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH | 16 / 43 (646.8568) | 10 (169.1428) | 4 (170.2858) | 27 (157.1428) | 28 (150.2854) |
| May 18, 2013 | The Lexington Battle-Green BBQ Festival Lexington, MA | 16 / 31 (640.5712) | 23 (153.7142) | 17 (158.8568) | 18 (158.2858) | 3 (169.7144) |
| May 10, 2013 | Green Lane Fire CO's Green Lane, PA | 11 / 58 (631.4280) | 52 (145.1426) | 2 (168.5714) | 30 (151.4284) | 5 (166.2856) |
| May 3, 2013 | Naptown barBAYq Contest & Music Festival Annapolis, MD | 17 / 55 (642.8562) | 43 (150.2850) | 21 (159.4286) | 13 (162.2856) | 3 (170.8570) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.